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Battle of Zelengora
Partisan victory, de facto destruction of Chetnik forces | combatant1 = Yugoslav Partisans | combatant2 = Chetniks | commander1 = | commander2 = Dragoljub Mihailović Miroslav Trifunović | units1 = | units2 = | strength1 = | strength2 = 3,000-4,000 | casualties1 = | casualties2 = | campaignbox = }} Battle of Zelengora was the last battle between the Partisan and Chetnik movement that was fought between May 12 and 13, 1945. Chetnik forces attempted to reach Serbia from Bosnia, through Zelengora, Drina and Sandžak. Partisan units (at the moment of the battle, partisan units were already reorganized into Yugoslav Army and World War II in Europe was officially over) prevented their attempt by creating a "buffer zone" in the area around River Bosna-Kalinovik-Motajica-Travnik. Partisans inflicted heavy defeat to Chetniks, who were de facto destroyed as a movement. Background After his split with forces of Pavle Đurišić, remaining Mihailović's Chetniks from Serbia and Bosnia were located vicinity of Modriča in late March 1945. Đurišić took his forces toward Slovenia, believing that Dimitrije Ljotić can save them from destruction and unite them with forces of Momčilo Đujić and Dobroslav Jevđević. Ljotić was certain that armed conflict between Soviet Union and Western Allies (who will accept defeated Germany as their allies) was inevitable Mihailović himself was in correspondence with Ljotić via radio, and also met delegation of sent by Ljotić and Hermann Neubacher, led by Ljotić's personal secretary Boško Kostić and Milan Aćimović, former head Commissioner Government and Minister of Interior in Nedić's Government of National Salvation. Kostić tried to persuade Mihailović to join them, too, but Mihailović refused. He agree to send general Miodrag Damjanović to Slovenia to take command of Serbian quisling forces who were already there. Kostić returned with Damjanović, while Aćimović decided to stay with Mihailović. The reason why Mihailović didn't want to go to Slovenia was false information that people in Serbia is dissatisfied with communist rule. Mihailović was fed with false information by OZNA, that didn't want allow Mihailović to escape from Yugoslavia. OZNA earlier obtained cipher and callsign from killed Chetnik commander Predrag Raković, and with help of former Chetnik radio-telegraphist, by January 1945, was able to establish contact and convince Mihailović to believe that he keeps correspondence with genuine Chetnik Mayor Trivun Ćosić, who wages alleged skirmishes against partisans. Mihailović was so convinced with this disguise, that he revealed to OZNA his plans to infiltrate over Drina River groups of saboteurs and commandos. OZNA and KNOJ were able to capture or kill all this groups. On April 13, Chetniks begun their march, but instead of going toward the lower course of the Drina River, where it was impossible to cross the river without boats at this part of year, they went westward along the right bank of the Sava River, until they approached the mouth of Vrbas. This path was supposed to mislead units of the Yugoslav Army to the idea that the Chetniks were heading towards Slovenia. His plan didn't work, as his movement was monitored by units of the Yugoslav army. On April 15, Mihailović's group came to area around Bosanski Brod and Derventa. Then the group suddenly turned south and southeast through the mountains, all the way to a point east of Konjic on the Neretva, then to the southeast in the direction of Kalinovik and Zelengora and to the east, again towards Drina, to the point near village Brod, where it was possible to cross the river without difficulty. Along the way, chetniks had skirmishes with HOS, and came in Fojnica region on April 19. Battle On May 7, Mihailović forces numbered some 5,000-6,000, among them few hundred Bosnian Chetniks. However, on Zelengora arrived only 3,000-4,000 men, as column led by Dragoslav Račić separated and went toward Jahorina and Rogatica. Contrary to Chetniks, Yugoslav Army was far superior, with artillery and air force. Final showdown between Chetniks and Yugoslav Army was waged from May 10 until May 13. The Army pushed Chetniks into high and steep gorge of river Jezerica. There CHetniks were exposed to land, artillery and air attacks. During descent and crossing the river, Chetniks large number of men, all horses, heavy equipment, archives and radio stations, so radio link between Mihailović and Mayor Ćosić was intereputed. Only a few hundred Chetniks managed to save themselves. Among them were Mihailović and Nikola Kalabić. Among those who get killer prior and during the battle were former Mihailović 'commander of Serbia' General Miroslav Trifunović, Milan Aćimović, Miodrag Palošević, Neško Nedić, etc. Aftermath This battle was decisively defeat from Chetniks, after which they became groups of scattered men, chased by Yugoslav Army, KNOJ and OZNA. Mihailović was able to evade chasing parties or traps set up by Yugoslav security forces, until he was caught ten months later by agents of OZNA, who disguised themselves as Chetniks and were led by his once the most trusted man Nikola Kalabić. References Literature * * Category:Conflicts in 1945 Category:Yugoslavia in World War II Category:May 1945 events